Terrorism Attacks

Raids and a Suicide Bomber in Paris

French police raided an apartment in northern Paris, and a woman detonated an explosive vest, as the hunt for the Paris attackers continued on Wednesday. European partners hesitated in providing France with military support.

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The streets of Paris were again filled with the sound of explosions Wednesday morning after a woman detonated a suicide vest during a police raid in the suburb of Saint-Denis.

Police raided the apartment in a deprived neighborhood some 2 kilometers north of the Stade de France, one of the sites of Friday’s killings, as part of a hunt for the people who masterminded the attacks that saw 129 people killed and 350 injured.

This morning, the Paris prosecutor’s office stated that the woman died after detonating the vest. French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said later that another person had been killed by a grenade in the raid. He added that seven people had also been arrested.

Mr. Cazeneuve said police had raided the apartment in pursuit of Abdel-Hamid Abu Oud who is suspected to have masterminded the attacks on Friday evening. Officials have not confirmed whether he was captured in the raid.

French police said five officers were also injured in the operation.

The early morning raid, accompanied by the sound of helicopters, heavy gunfire and a series of explosions, has added to the tense atmosphere across Europe.

Two Air France flights en route to Paris from the United States were diverted Tuesday because of bomb threats. And last night, German police cancelled an international soccer match in Hanover between Germany and the Netherlands less than two hours before kick off because of security concerns.

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